Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble: Even Easier Than Pie

One of the best parts of summer is fruit that bursts with juice, dripping with sunshine. Or a fresh pie, with fruit that becomes even sweeter and more fragrant with baking. But, to tell you the truth, I’ve always been intimidated by pie crust, let alone gluten-free pie crust. So this summer I took a classic strawberry rhubarb pie and turned it into a gluten-free strawberry rhubarb crumble, with no crust and a sweet crisp topping that everyone loves. Plus, if you substitute margarine (I like Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks) instead of butter, it easily becomes a delicious, would-never-believe-it vegan, gluten-free dessert.

The crumble topping uses pure gluten-free oats. For a discussion on gluten-free oats, please see a story I wrote, Feel Your Oats, for Living Without magazine, a great magazine for people who are gluten-free or have food sensitivities.

To make the crumb topping, place gluten-free oats, brown sugar, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl; stir to combine. Add diced butter, and work in with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

Pour strawberry-rhubarb mixture into a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly on top of the fruit. Place pie pan in oven (put a cookie sheet under the pie pan to catch any drippings), and cook for 30 to 35 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

Yield: 8 servings

*Not all oats are gluten-free, because of cross-contamination. Be sure to buy pure oats that are certified gluten-free.

7 responses to “The Last Pie of Summer”

Mmmm … I used the crumb topping from this recipe to make a great gluten-free apple crisp today. Thinly slice 5 apples, and toss with cinnamon and sugar. Place in 8×8-inch baking pan. Top with crumb topping above. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until topping is golden brown.

Thanks, Lisa! And as I mentioned in the post, check out a story I wrote about gluten-free oats in the Oct/Nov issue of Living Without magazine for more info about including pure oats in a GF diet.
Cheers,
Eve

When we first moved to our house, there was this huge rhubarb plant that was in our garden. Hearing that the leaves were poisonous to kids, I pulled it out. I’ve regretted that move ever since. There are so many recipes I come across that I would love to try – like yours!

About Gluten-Free Nosh

Sharing recipes, tips and experiences forgluten-free families

My youngest daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease when she turned 2. In the past seven years, we’ve learned how to create gluten-free versions of our favorite foods and traditional Jewish foods and how to navigate through restaurants, school and birthday parties gluten-free.